


The Giving Brother

by whiskeyandlonging



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-30
Updated: 2018-10-30
Packaged: 2019-10-07 15:51:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 582
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17368853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiskeyandlonging/pseuds/whiskeyandlonging
Summary: Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree" retold through the lens of Supernatural.





	The Giving Brother

**Author's Note:**

> Submission for My First Supernatural Story Challenge, run by @asupernaturaltreasury on Tumblr. Accompanying art by @indigoneutrino available on Tumblr.

Once, there were two brothers who saved the world.  
And every day the brothers, Sam and Dean, rode together in a Chevy Impala  
And hunted monsters with each other.  
They hunted wendigos and ghosts and vampires and witches,   
Vetalas and gods and demons and djinn.

And the brothers loved each other very much.

One day, Sam said, “I want Lucky Charms!”   
And Dean said, “There is only enough for one bowl, and I haven’t had any yet.”   
But he poured the Lucky Charms into a bowl, and gave it to Sam.   
Sam found the prize inside the cereal box, and he gave it to Dean.  
And so the boys were happy.

Many years later, when the brothers were grown, Sam was killed.   
Dean went to a crossroads demon to sell his soul for Sam’s life.   
“Bring Sam back, and give me ten years,” Dean said. “Then you can have my soul.”   
But the demon laughed, and promised him only one year,  
And Dean sealed the deal with a kiss.

Months passed, and Dean came back to life,  
Raised from perdition by an angel.   
When he realized he’d been saved,   
Dean asked Sam what he had done to bring him back from hell.  
And Sam said, “I tried everything.”

When Sam dove into the Pit with Lucifer,   
He stopped the apocalypse  
And was tortured for millennia.  
When he was brought back to earth, he said nothing to his brother,  
Because Dean was with a new family.  
“You’ve been back all this time?” asked Dean. “Why didn’t you tell me?”  
And Sam replied, “You finally had the life you wanted.”

The brothers learned that Sam had come back without his soul.  
And so Dean became Death for a day,   
And suffered greatly for killing those  
For whom Death had come.  
“I’m going to go to hell to get your brother’s soul,” said Death.  
And when Sam returned to normal, Dean’s suffering felt worthwhile.

Three years later, a Knight of Hell ran rampant.   
Dean met with Cain, Father of Murder,   
And assumed his Mark so he could kill the Knight.  
But the Mark brought great struggle and affliction.  
“I had to go it alone, Sammy,” Dean said.   
“You could have gotten hurt by the Knight.”  
And so he made peace with his choice.

The Mark of Cain would not let death take Dean when it came,   
And so Dean became a demon.   
Sam would not let his brother become the thing he hated,   
And so he tried to cure him.  
“I will bring my brother back,” he told Dean the Demon.   
“This family is all we have ever had.”  
And his brother came back to him.

After a long time, Sam and Dean grew tired.  
They sat on the hood of the Impala and watched the sunset,   
One of many they never thought they’d live to see.  
Their souls could no longer be used to bargain,   
But they were intact.  
Feuding angels no longer sought their vessels,  
For the war had ended long ago.  
They no longer sacrificed themselves for each other,  
Because there was no need.

“I am sorry,” each had said to the other.  
And the other said, “I do not need an apology.”  
For each had given all to the other.  
Sam said, “I just want my brother by my side,   
And this car to call home.”  
Dean said, “I just want my brother by my side,   
And I can rest knowing the world is finally safe.”

And the brothers were happy.


End file.
